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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23990758">Melancholic, Frightened, and Kindred Eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/neokid93/pseuds/neokid93'>neokid93</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Danny Phantom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>3 part story, DannyMay, DannyMay 2020, Gen, Happy Ending, Medium Angst, Mentions of Emotional Abuse, Mild Angst, Phantom sibling bonding, Reflection, dannymay2020, day 3 prompt: Reflection, sad sad then happy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:42:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>684</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23990758</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/neokid93/pseuds/neokid93</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Reflections in three different instances.  This was for the day 3 prompt of DannyMay 2020, Reflection. Cross posted with Tumblr.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Danny Fenton &amp; Danielle "Dani" Phantom, Vlad Masters &amp; Danielle "Dani" Phantom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Melancholic, Frightened, and Kindred Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Danny May 2020</i>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Reflection</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Melancholic Eyes</b>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Dani</i>
</p>
<p>
She pressed her cheek against the cold glass.  She slowly turned her head until the opposite cheek was cooling against the window. She closed her eyes as she waited for the heat to fade.  The late morning sunlight danced across the closed lids.  She let out a deep shuddering sigh, and began to relax.</p>
<p>Eventually she let her eyes reopen and she wearily studied the faint reflection in the glass.  She drew up her hand and gently traced her nose-no, not <i>her</i> nose…someone else’s.  Her thumb ran along her-no <i>his</i> eyebrows, then gently followed the edge of her jaw to rest on Someone Else’s chin.  Someone else’s nose, someone else’s chin, someone else’s face.  Dispassionately, she regarded the red mark on her cheek.  It was starting to fade now.  At least her eyes were her own.  Scared, sad eyes, but hers.  She doubted his eyes were this lonely.</p>
<p>Bitterly, she turned her thoughts to Him.  <i>He</i> said he loved her, that she was his best creation, his most stable.  He told her to call him Father, but it didn’t feel right.  She saw how he treated the others, the way his smile didn’t reach his eyes when he looked at her, at them.  How it faded when he thought she wasn’t looking.  She had tried to fool herself.  To pretend that she was stable because he loved her…but she had seen how he looked at the Prime.  How his eyes lit up and his smile was more true.  As soon as a better clone was formed, she would be discarded- relegated to the rank of minion like her brothers before her.  He was the sort of man who only had enough love for himself and maybe one other.  She had to pretend, maybe if she believed hard enough she could convince herself.  Maybe if she was better at doing what he wanted, acted more like <i>him</i>, then he’d keep her a little longer.</p>
<p>She dropped her hand from her cheekbone.  <i>His</i> face looked back at her.  Melancholic eyes stared through her… even her name was just a poor reflection of him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Frightened Eyes</b>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Danny</i>
</p>
<p>He rested his forehead against the cool glass.  Tired blue eyes stared back at him.  He pushed his face to the window, letting the cold numb the electrical tingles that had been crawling under his skin since The Accident.  Tiny sparks danced in his vision.  He did his best to ignore them.  The world tilted and tinted green.  He shut his eyes when they too, washed green.  No.  He’s still here.  He opened them again slowly.  Scared, blue eyes peered back from his reflection.</p>
<p>
He let the sparkles of change fizz back into view like his own personal stars.  He could almost see white where only black should be.  Would they still love him if he pretended this away?  If he didn’t?</p>
<p>
Shaky fingers traced his nose, ran over his cheeks, eyebrows, and down his jaw.</p>
<p>
“I’m still here,” he whispered to his reflection, stars twinkling merrily above.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Kindred Eyes</b>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Together</i>
</p>
<p>They beheld each other at the same time.  In this moment understanding passed between them.  Now they were working together.  Same nose, same mouth, same confident smirk.  Same face, someone who understands at last.</p>
<p>
Together, they faced Him.</p>
<p>
Later they faced each other in the sky, surrounded by countless stars.  He held her face so gently in his hands.</p>
<p>
“You are loved, don’t forget that.”</p>
<p>
She threw her arms around him in embrace, thrilled that she had someone she could love, someone who loved her no matter what, her own found family.</p>
<p>
Laughter filled the night sky as they examined each other once more.  Fingers held together-smaller, but so similar to his, maybe a little cleaner and more neatly trimmed nails.  Her hair was softer, silky and long, but the color and thickness was the same.</p>
<p>
They had no need to pretend with each other, she was his purest reflection, somehow still innocent despite her troubled beginning.</p>
<p>
They parted ways with a fond farewell, kindred spirits who will meet again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If requested I am willing to do a bonus fourth part of Dan.  I might end up doing it anyways.  Technically part 2 happens before part 1, but I like this order.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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